Manuhiri enjoying the Taonga Market at Te Puia
The rising steam of the Umu Kohukohu Whetū carried offerings to the Matariki stars during Te Puia’s dawn Hautapu ceremony this morning, followed by activities on the marae ātea and Matariki wānanga.
Te Puia chief executive Tim Cossar said through the annual Matariki celebrations, Te Puia iwi owners Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust, Ngāti Hurungaterangi, Ngāti Te Kahu, Ngāti Taeotū o Ngāti Whakaue and Wāhiao Tūhourangi o Whakarewarewa generously enable the hosting of the event for the benefit of the wider community and Aotearoa.
“It helps to uplift cultural knowledge and foster a deeper understanding of the traditions and values that underpin Matariki. The number of people that continue to attend every year is heartwarming.
“It’s indicative of how Matariki continues to be embraced by all parts of our community as a time of reflection and to look to the year ahead as well.”
Manuhiri gathered in Pikirangi Village during the Hautapu Ceremony
This morning’s Hautapu Ceremony attended by 300 people, was led by Te Rāngai Kawa – Te Tokotoru a Manawakotokoto. It showed a deep respect for ancestral practices acknowledging the past, present, and future through three key parts of the pre-dawn ceremony.
Te Puia also held a Whānau Day from 9am – 3pm with 2,354 people having bought tickets, including a large number of visitors from Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Napier and New Plymouth.
Rotorua local Leah Morrison said “we’ve just had a fabulous time, I’ve come down with the three kids, Max (7), Travis (5) and Zac (18 months).
“It’s our first time here and we’ve had so much fun with the stick games, going on the bouncy castle, we walked through the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute and had a look at the carvings, we rode the train and saw the geyser going off with all the steam – we’ve had a lovely day.
Mother with her pēpē by the fire in Pikirangi Village
“Matariki is a new thing in our family that we’ve learnt about with the public holiday, for us it’s becoming a time of reflection on the last 12 months, acknowledging how everything’s going at the moment and looking forward to the future as well to put some plans in place,” Morrison said.
NZMACI Acting General Manager Ranginui Rikirangi-Thomas said it’s about education and getting people to be part of it.
“To see tamariki running around and having a great time and whānau coming through is a great thing.
“I hope everyone takes the opportunity to be together with their families and replenish their energy, celebrate the lives of those who have passed, look back and reflect on the year that’s been and look forward to the year coming.
Te Puia Hautapu Ceremony
Whānau day included a Matariki Wānanga, pā activities such as tītī tōrea, poi and haka lessons, Matariki crafts and storytime, kiri tuhi face painting, pōhiri and cultural performances. Manuhiri also explored the Matariki taonga market with contemporary Māori artists and saw the NZ Māori Arts & Crafts Institute artists weaving, wood carving, stone and bone carving.
Te Puia | NZMACI operates under the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute Vesting Act 2020 – which includes a function to encourage, foster, and promote ahurea and toi Māori (culture and Māori arts) of New Zealand, which the Matariki event aims to do.